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The biology of Dactylopius tomentosus (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2009

C.W. Mathenge ,
P. Holford ,
J.H. Hoffmann ,
R. Spooner-Hart ,
G.A.C. Beattie  and
H.G. Zimmermann
C.W. Mathenge
Affiliation:
Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Centre for Plant and Food Science, University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury Campus), Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia
P. Holford*
Affiliation:
Centre for Plant and Food Science, University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury Campus), Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia
J.H. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
R. Spooner-Hart
Affiliation:
Centre for Plant and Food Science, University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury Campus), Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia
G.A.C. Beattie
Affiliation:
Centre for Plant and Food Science, University of Western Sydney (Hawkesbury Campus), Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia
H.G. Zimmermann
Affiliation:
Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X134, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
*
*Author for correspondence Fax: +61 2 4570 1314 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Dactylopius tomentosus (Lamarck) (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) is a cochineal insect whose host range is restricted to Cylindropuntia species (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae). This insect has been utilized successfully for biological control of Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F.M. Knuth in Australia and South Africa. Despite this, its biology has not been studied previously, probably due to the widely held belief that the biology of all Dactylopius species is similar. This study investigated the life cycle and the morphological and reproductive characteristics of D. tomentosus. Results revealed some unique characteristics of D. tomentosus: (i) eggs undergo a much longer incubation period, an average of 17 days compared to <1 day in its congeners; (ii) eggs are laid singly but are retained as an egg mass secured in a mesh of waxy threads attached to the female; (iii) the developmental times of males and females are longer compared to other Dactylopius spp. due to a longer egg incubation period; (iv) D. tomentosus does not undergo parthenogenesis; (v) D. tomentosus is smaller in size than its congeners; and (vi) male mating capacity and reproductive potential were both high and variable between males. There was a significant, strong, positive relationship (r=0.93) between female mass and fecundity, whereas the relationship between the number of females mated per male that became gravid and their fecundity was negative (r=−0.68). Besides contributing to our knowledge of this economically important species, the finding of unique characteristics of D. tomentosus biology underlines the need to study each species in this genus.

Keywords

Dactylopiuscochineal insectslife cycleparthenogenesismale mating capacityfecundityCylindropuntia
Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 99 , Issue 6 , December 2009 , pp. 551 - 559
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 Cambridge University Press

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